GeebMachine's Thomas Creator Collective Story Pitches
by GeebMachine
Summary: A collection of stories (with some "bonus scenes") that were pitched to the Thomas Creator Collective on YouTube, featuring a special Railway Spring Parade, a stolen tender, and the return of a similarly-destructive boulder.
1. Author's Note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Hello there.

The following stories you are about to read are not only pitches that I had made to the YouTube Group known as the Thomas Creator Collective (or "TCC", of which I am proud to be a part of as a Voice Actor) earlier this year, but have been re-formatted* from its original script-form for your reading entertainment**.

Hope you like them. :)

*You can read the original scripted format in my journal posts on my Deviantart account, "GeebMachine".  
**After I had recently gotten a part-time position as Bonus Scene Writer for the TCC, I was given permission to post these stories wherever I wanted.


	2. The Dowager Controller, Part 1

**THE DOWAGER CONTROLLER, PART 1 - SPRING IS HERE**

Spring had come to the Island of Sodor once again. That time of year where Nature removed its cold and snowy garment of Winter and replaced it with a lovely warm shade of green. It was also a time of new beginnings and exciting opportunities, which the engines were soon to find out.

It started one early morning at Tidmouth Sheds, where the firelighters were stoking the engines' fire for another day of work. Thomas the Tank Engine was the first to fully wake up and he took in a deep breath, smelling the air.  
"Ah," he sighed, "what a beautiful morning! Can you just smell that fresh air?"  
"No," mumbled a big voice; it was Gordon the Big Express Engine, who opened a sleepy eye and stared at Thomas in his usual moody fashion. "And I would appreciate it if you kept your voice down," he continued. "Some of us are still trying to rest."  
"I wouldn't get your hopes up yet, Gordon," came a cheeky reply from Edward, the old Blue Engine, who was sitting next to Gordon, grinning.  
"And why not?" huffed Gordon.  
"Look who's here."  
Gordon followed Edward's gaze towards the Yards, where he saw a small blue car pull up to the Sheds. He groaned to himself, as Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the North Western Railway, stepped out of it, stumbling a little as he did so. For the longest time, the engines knew that he was sometimes a little clumsy, especially with cars. But today, something seemed off about their Controller, for he was stumbling a lot more than usual, along with a considerable amount of sniffling; his Assistants helped him stand as he prepared to give out his orders.  
"Gud mor-ging, eng-inth," said Sir Topham Hatt, in a very stuffed-up voice.  
"Good morning, sir," the engines replied.  
Edward looked at Sir Topham Hatt rather worriedly. "Are you alright, sir?" he asked.  
"I'm... fine, Edburd," Sir Topham Hatt sniffed. "Juthd a - snif! - bid of a ruddy noth, dat's all. Nud-ing do thnee... eee... ah...ah... AAAH-CHOO! ... Thneeze ad."  
All the engines exchanged worrying glances as Sir Topham Hatt proceeded to blow his nose with a tissue, courtesy of one of his Assistants. Once he had finished, he tried adressing them again.  
"Ahem," Sir Topham Hatt started, trying to sound excited, " now, bebore I gib you your ordurs, I hab an impordant adnounthement do make." He paused for a moment, sniffling a little. "Abter mundth of planning and negothiading, we'll be holding da firtht ob what will be conthidered an annual tradithin do thelebrate da firtht day of Thpring." He sniffed again. "A Railway Thpring Puh-raid!"  
Even though he was a little hard to hear, the engines _did_ understand what Sir Topham Hatt had said; the North Western Railway was going have its first Railway Spring Parade! They began to chatter excitedly amongst themselves.  
"I suppose you'll be wanting a _big_ and _important_ engine like _me_ to lead it, sir?" Gordon asked in his "puffed-up" demeanor.  
Thomas exchanged a look of annoyance with James the Red Engine, who rolled his eyes in agreement; whenever something big was happening on Sodor, Gordon was usually the first to "step-up", so to speak.  
"I dank you bor da opper, Gordun," Sir Topham Hatt sniffed, "but dere are thtill thum dingth dat need do be done firtht bebore I make my dathithion." He sniffed a little before concluding. "Tho I thuggetht dat all ob you do your betht, becauth the fethtibiteeth are aboud a week oud."  
"Yes sir," the engines replied in unison.  
"And, if you don't mind my saying so, sir," Edward said concernedly, "you should get some rest before that cold gets worse."  
"Dat's berry kind, Edburd," Sir Topham Hatt replied, as he wiped his nose with a tissue, "but I dink I can handle it."

"I can't handle it," Sir Topham Hatt moaned to himself, as he layed in his bed at home with a hot-water bottle on his head.  
Lady Hatt, his wife, sitting by his bedside, took the thermometer out of his mouth and checked it. "And with a temperature of 104 _in addition_ to your Hay Fever, I wouldn't expect you to!" she observed.  
"Oh, bodder deth allergieeth!" Sir Topham Hatt sniffed. "And ad thuch a dime, doo; I nod only hab a railway do run - snif! -, bud I aldo hab do organi... i... ah...AH... AAAAAAAH-CHOO! ... Organithe dat Puh-raid."  
"Not in this state, I'm afraid," said Lady Hatt, as she handed her husband some more tissues to blow his nose with.  
"Dank you, my dear," Sir Topham Hatt replied after he had finished blowing. After sniffling a few more times, he said, "I don'd thuppothe id would be doo much do athk ib you could bill in bor me again?"  
"Oh, as much as I would like to, Topham dear, I'm afraid I can't," came the reply. "The ladies group I'm with is already doing its part in the festivities, and they've made me Head Organizer."  
Sir Topham Hatt rolled over, moaning some more. "Oh, now whud am I going do do!" he sniffed melancholy. "I thuppothe I'll hab do make thum callth den."  
"No need for that, my dear," Lady Hatt said kindly, gently taking her husband's hand before as it reached the nearby telephone. "For I have already taken the liberty of assigning a replacement for you, just in case this were to happen."  
Sir Topham Hatt sat up a little, intrigued. "Oh?" he sniffed. "Well... who did you gid?"

"Good evening, engines!" Dowager Hatt chortled.  
The engines just stared, but responded rather uneasily, "Good evening, ma'am." They weren't use to seeing Dowager Hatt, Sir Topham Hatt's mother, standing where their Controller usually stood when giving out orders or making announcements.  
"As you already know," Dowager Hatt began, still trying to contain her exictement, "my son has not been feeling very well. So, as of tomorrow, I'll be your temporary Controller until he gets better. Understand?"  
"Yes, ma'am," replied the engines.  
"Good," said Dowager Hatt, who then awkwardly paused for a moment while she looked around the Yards before beginning again. "Well, good night everyone! See you all tomorrow!"  
Still chortling excitingly to herself, Dowager Hatt climbed into her car and drove away. And once she was out of sight, Percy the Small Engine exchanged a worryingly look with his friend, Thomas.  
"What do you make of it, Thomas?" he asked.  
Thomas was also worried, but tried to think of a positive response. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "I know Dowager Hatt is a well-meaning lady, but-"  
"She's too eccentric, that's what!" James cut in rudely.  
"Exactly!" agreed Gordon. "She'll turn this railway upside down before long. Mark my words!"  
"Gordon! James! Mind your manners!" Edward snapped sternly. "She's barely started working and you're already passing judgment!"  
There was a short silence after Edward's burst, after which the old engine took a deep breath and started again.  
"Look, I understand that this sudden change is a bit worrisome for some of you, but give her a chance," he said. "I believe she'll give you quite the surprise."  
"Hmph! That'll be the day," Gordon muttered to himself.

And what a surprise it was! Starting the next day, Dowager Hatt had Gordon switched over to pulling Goods Trains while relegating Edward to the Express. Gordon didn't like this one bit; he glared at the old engine whenever their paths crossed. But Edward never noticed; he already a lot on his buffers!  
Dowager Hatt then assigned Henry the Green Engine to shunting duties in the Knapford Shunting Yards, of which he found extremely frustrating; since the Yard was already packed with trucks, Henry, a big tender engine, found it very hard to maneuver. Especially when another long train came in; he groaned and his rolled his eyes when he saw it.  
And as for James, she had given him the task of pulling Slow Goods trains; a task he loathed, because he not only had to stop and collect trucks from every station on his way to the Shunting Yards, which made his train longer and heavier, he had to, as he would put it, pull _dirty_ trucks out of equally _dirty_ sidings. James was furious about this, and he would shunt the trucks hard when he collected them. This, of course, would just add insult to injury, because dirt and dust would fly from the biffed trucks and land all over his smart, red paintwork; James' screams of frustration could be heard for miles around!  
And a couple of days later, Thomas found himself being reassigned too; arranging trucks into all of the stations' loop sidings along the Main Line, starting at Kellsthorpe Station. As he shoved a loose truck off the Main Line, Thomas not only felt upset about being taken away from his Branch Line duties but confused as well.  
"I don't understand it," he said to himself. "How is shunting trucks at all the stations being useful? They're just going to pile up again in the next couple of days."  
Having heard him, Thomas' Driver leaned out of the cab. "Who knows," he said, trying to sound reassuring. "Maybe she's figured out a way that'll help make things more efficient."  
"More efficient?!" huffed Thomas, as he followed the truck he had just shoved into a loop siding. "Have you _seen_ Henry working at the Shunting Yards? He looks like a bull that was placed into too small of a corral!"  
His Driver reconsidered, scratching his head as he did so. "Hmm. That... does seem odd," he said after a short length of time. "But, then again, you never know; she may be trying something new."  
After he had finished shunting the truck, Thomas sat in the siding, waiting for Edward to pass with the Express. It wasn't too long until he heard Edward's whistle in the distance. And then, panting, wheezing, and puffing as hard as he could, Thomas watched Edward steam through Kellsthorpe; he couldn't help but notice the tired expression on his old friend's face as he passed by.  
"Let's just hope it doesn't cause any further trouble," he said to himself in a worried tone.

That evening, after a long day's work, James and Gordon found themselves taking their trains to the Shunting Yards. When they arrived, they couldn't believe the state that it was in; trucks were everywhere, and poor Henry was buried with them! His eyes widen when he saw their long trains.  
"Oh no!" he moaned. "Not _another_ one, please! I can barely move around as it is!"  
"This is outrageous!" huffed Gordon. "Having to swap jobs, pull goods trains, and then having to shunt them is... is... is disgraceful!"  
"Disgusting, I say!" put in James. "I mean, look at me! All those dirty trucks from those... _dirty_ sidings are making my paintwork filthy! YEEEE-UCK!"  
"And not to mention despicable!" added Henry. "Tender engines like me are not suppose to shunt; I'm too big!"  
"That does it!" snorted Gordon, letting off a loud wheesh of steam in an indignant manner. "Its time we put a stop to this foolishness, once and for all! Not only is the railway's reputation at stake, but our very lives!"  
"And just what do you suggest then, eh?" wondered James.  
Gordon looked between James and Henry. "I suggest," he said, "we do the one thing that has always gotten results for us."  
Henry gasped. "You don't mean-!"  
"I do indeed," confirmed Gordon, in a voice growing more and more ominous. "We are going to go..." His eyes narrowed. "...on strike."


	3. The Dowager Controller, Part 2

**THE DOWAGER CONTROLLER, PART 2 - TRUST EDWARD**

The next day, as the sun was rising over the Sudrian landscape, the engines were getting ready to start another day of work. But for some, it was the start of something else; Gordon, Henry, and James smiled slyly to each other, as Dowager Hatt's car pulled up to Tidmouth Sheds with a loud "Honk! Honk!".  
"Good morning, engines!" sang Dowager Hatt. "We have a lot to do today, so pay attention, please. First off, Thomas, please get the coaches for the Express ready, and then go sort the trucks in the sidings at Crovan's Gate, Ballahoo, and Vicarstown Stations."  
"Yes, ma'am," replied Thomas, who then added worryingly, " But, what about my Branch Line, ma'am? Surely they need me there, don't they?"  
"Oh, not at all!" Dowager Hatt said cheerily. "Percy and Toby managed it quite well yesterday. Didn't you, Percy?"  
"Oh, um, yes," Percy replied in a rather nervous and weary tone, "we're doing, um, just fine."  
"See, Thomas? Nothing to worry about." Dowager Hatt smiled. "Now please on your way; James will be collecting those trucks soon, and we don't want to keep the Express waiting."  
"That's what _she_ thinks," James whispered smugly to Gordon and Henry, who responded with a stifled snickering.  
"Yes, ma'am", sighed Thomas, as he let off steam in disappointment before leaving the sheds.

After Thomas had arranged the Express coaches and was marshaling them to Knapford Station, his mind kept going back to when he brought up the subject of his Branch Line; as Dowager Hatt was telling him not to worry, Percy exchanged a quick glance with him that said otherwise. That made him worry all the more. And as he approached Platform One, an awful and doubtful thought came into his smokebox; one which he thought he would never think of:  
 _Does Dowager Hatt even_ know _what she's doing?  
_ Once the coaches were in place, Thomas was uncoupled and he ran round to wait for his "road" to open. But as he came to a stop, he let out a groan of dismay when he saw the familiar form of Edward backing down onto the train next to him.  
"Oh, not again, Edward," he huffed. "Why can't she get someone else to pull the Express? You're tiring yourself out."  
"Its alright, Thomas," Edward replied reassuringly, as he was coupled to the coaches. "She knows what she's doing."  
"But... how can you be sure?"  
Before Edward could answer, the Guard's whistle rang out; signalling that it was time for the Express to leave.  
"I'll have to explain later; its time for me to go," he said, tooting his whistle in response to the Guard. "And in the meantime, don't worry," Edward called back as he steamed away. "Everything will turn out all right in the end; just wait and see."  
Thomas just stared, as the old engine pulled out of Knapford and began navigate through the many crossings of the junction that lay before him. Eventually, he smiled a small but weak smile.  
"I'll try," he sighed quietly to himself.  
CLUNK!  
Thomas jumped and then looked up; he had been so busy worrying, that he had nearly missed his signal. With a "whoosh" of steam, he set off to start shunting.  
But even as he did so, he still had his doubts; he knew Edward was generally right about some things, but that same nagging thought he had earlier about Dowager Hatt began to plague his mind about his old friend.  
 _Does Edward know what he's talking about?_ he thought, as he saw Edward pass him a little while later, heading back to Knapford Station with the Express; he was also starting to show signs of weariness again. _What if he's wrong?  
_ But, in the end, Thomas ultimately decided that it would be fair to trust Edward's instincts, and, more importantly, do what he was told.  
"After all," he said to himself, "a Really Useful Engine always does his work without fuss."

Late that afternoon, Thomas had just finished arranging the last of the trucks that needed to be shunted at Vicarstown Station, when he saw Edward backing down next to him, who had just finished pulling his second Express to Vicarstown. Thomas was surprised.  
"What are you doing here, Edward?" he asked. "The Express is due to go out pretty soon."  
"I know," Edward replied as he came to a stop next to Thomas, "but Dowager Hatt just called, telling me to collect the trucks you just sorted today. And as for the Express, Flying Scotsman just arrived and has offered to take it the rest of the way."  
"Take my trucks?" puzzled Thomas. "But... that's suppose to be _James'_ job. Where is he?"  
"I don't know," said Edward. "But from the way I heard it, it sounds like he's in some sort of trouble."  
Thomas rolled his eyes. "That wouldn't surprise me," he sighed, as he pulled out of the siding. "Anyways, are you sure you can handle this slow goods, Edward? You're also going to be picking up the trucks from Crovan's Gate and Ballahoo, and there was quite a lot."  
"Don't worry, Thomas. I can handle it," Edward smiled, as he backed into the siding.  
Once he buffered up to the trucks, the Shunter quickly fastened the coupling. "Alright, Edward," he said, waving. "You're ready to go."  
With a "Toot-toot!" of his whistle, Edward steamed away. "Good-bye, Thomas," he called as he passed the little tank engine. "I'll see you later."  
"Good-bye, Edward," Thomas returned. "Good luck and take care."

A little bit later, as Thomas was taking a drink and having a rest at a nearby water tower, he heard a loud, long whistle, followed by some heavy puffing and heaving; it was Samson, a cabless tank engine from the Mainland who pride himself on being the strongest tank engine around, which would sometimes blind his common sense and get him into trouble. Thomas watched with interest, as Samson pulled in with a long train, panting hard as he came to a stop.  
"Phew!" he wheeshed. "I finally made it!"  
"Hello, Samson," Thomas called out. "What brings you to Sodor?"  
"Hm? Oh, hello, Thomas," Samson replied, catching his breath. "I'm just - whew! - delivering this goods train."  
"Oh? What is it?" Thomas asked.  
"Don't know," replied Samson. "But other than it was ordered last week..." He then glared at the back of the train. "...and that it was suppose to be delivered _yesterday_ , if _someone_ didn't keep holding me up!"  
"Well, somebody had to keep you in check," came a reply. "You were literally passing through red signals!"  
Thomas knew that officious voice all too well; it was Bradford, a brake van that more often than not accompanied Samson on his trains. He was also known for being a stickler for the rules; no matter how trivial the situation was, he would always apply his brakes until the "problem" was rectified, which would always make his trains late.  
"You had me stop because _you thought_ the line was _buckling_!" Thomas heard Samson say in a peeved tone.  
"Regardless," Bradford replied in his usual official and overzealous demeanor, "when a signal is set at 'danger', all trains must stop; Official Railway Safety Guideline Manual, Section A, Paragraph 1, Line 13. Also, whenever a train passes through a section of line that proves to be very unsteady, the train in question must either stop or proceed at a slower speed; Official Railway Safety Guideline Manual, Section-"  
"Oh, stow it!" Samson growled out of annoyance.  
Thomas stifled a chuckle; he was somewhat enjoying this little conversation, but also felt sorry for the vain tank engine. But presently, during this exchange, the Stationmaster of Vicarstown approached them.  
"Ah, there's the train!" he said with relief. "We were starting to get worried, Samson."  
Samson jumped a little, startled. "Oh! Um, terribly sorry about that, sir," he replied, and then added rather pointedly, "We had some, er... _unexpected delays_."  
"I see," said the Stationmaster. "Anyways, now that its here, can you please take it to the Shunting Yards?"  
"I'm afraid I can't, sir," said Samson. "They're expecting us to be back at the Mainland, and we're late enough as is."  
"Oh dear, this just won't do," replied the Stationmaster, rubbing the bridge of his nose out of frustration. "Gordon was suppose to take this train, but he's currently in dispose of. And Dowager Hatt said that this train needs to be there desperately, but there's no other engine available."  
"What about me, sir?" said Thomas, after a moment's thought. "I don't have anything else going on."  
The Stationmaster eyed the goods train and then eyed Thomas, looking very pensive. "Hmmm," he said after a brief moment. "I'm not sure. That's a pretty long train there. And a heavy one too, by the look of it," he added, after noticing Samson's hot and bothered expression.  
"Please, sir," Thomas begged. "If Dowager Hatt says that it needs to be there now, and I'm the only engine available, then I must take it."  
The Stationmaster stared; he seemed very conflicted. "Very well," he relented. "I'll go make the call."  
It wasn't too long until Thomas found himself being coupled up to the long goods train. The Stationmaster looked on skeptically.  
"You know this goes against my better judgment," he told Thomas. "But if Dowager Hatt approves of it, then all can I say is be careful."  
" I will, sir," replied Thomas.  
"He's all ready, sir," called the Shunter.  
"Right. Off you go, Thomas," said the Stationmaster.  
Thomas gave a mighty blast of his whistle, and then tugged at the heavy train; his wheels spun, which made the Stationmaster worry. But after a few seconds, Thomas finally gained some traction and slowly began to pull the train out of the Yard. Samson and Bradford cheered Thomas on as he passed them.  
"Good luck, Thomas!" called Samson.  
"Dry Rails and Good Running!" added Bradford.  
"Thanks, Samson! Thanks, Bradford!" Thomas called back, as he moved over the last set of points and out onto the Main Line.

As Thomas puffed along with the goods train, he began to tire out; the weight of the trucks were starting to get to him. But he knew that Dowager Hatt needed whatever was in them, and he was keen to not disappoint her. With grim determination, Thomas pounded the rails with every ounce of steam he had to keep the train in motion.  
Before long, Thomas had reached a point in which the line began to climb; he knew what that meant.  
"Gordon's Hill is coming up," he panted to himself.  
Now Gordon's Hill was a notorious landmark on the North Western Railway, because it had the reputation of being so steep that if an engine didn't get enough speed, he and his train would come to a complete standstill and would either have to back down and try it again on their own or have a back engine help them out. As for how it got its name, the explanation was simple; an engine called Gordon got stuck on it a long time ago (and quite a few more times, afterwards).  
Thomas knew that he would have to get up to speed to conquer the hill. Because if he didn't, then the train would been even later than it already was.  
"More steam, Driver, please," Thomas called out.  
"Coming right up," replied the Driver, as he begin throwing a couple of levers and twisting some dials, checking the gauges all the while. And as he did so, the Fireman shoveled more coal into the firebox.  
Thomas' wheels began to spin faster and faster, and his confidence began to grow with each puff his pistons made. But just as he was passing the signalbox near the base of the hill, the signal suddenly changed to "danger". Thomas was puzzled. But just before he could say anything, he felt his brakes slam on hard; the trucks bumped into him as he screeched along the line before coming to a complete stop.  
"Ouch!" exclaimed Thomas. "What on earth was that for, Driver?"  
"Back, Thomas! Back!" the Driver replied in a panic. "There's a runaway coming!"  
Thomas looked back up the line, and gasped; coming straight towards him, he could see the last few trucks and the brake van of a train careening down the hill!  
"Cinders and ashes!" Thomas wheeshed, as he quickly tried to reverse. But it was no use; the weight of the heavy trucks held against him, and his wheels could do nothing but spin helplessly! "Oh no!" he cried, watching in horror as the oncoming runaway got closer and closer...


	4. The Dowager Controller, Part 3

**THE DOWAGER CONTROLLER, PART 3 - REALLY USEFUL ENGINES**

"Come-on-come-on-COME-ON!" Thomas panicked. But no matter how hard he pumped his pistons, his wheels just spun round and round, and he was no further away from the runaway train that sped down Gordon's Hill at an erratic pace towards him. With one final effort, Thomas jolted the heavy goods train into motion. "YES!" he cried, as he quickly backed away from the hill's base.  
But no sooner did he leave his spot, the runaway had passed over and was rapidly gaining on him. Remembering the signalbox he passed moments before, Thomas blew his whistle as loudly as he could to alert the signalman therein.  
"Runaway train!" Thomas called out as he flew past the signalbox. "Divert it to the siding! Quick!"  
Lucky thing that the signalman was quick on his feet, for the second Thomas had passed him, he threw the lever which switched the runaway train into the siding. Even though the train hit the buffers hard with a loud "CLANG!", it surprisingly stayed on the rails. Thomas, who had managed to recover, heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the trucks sitting upright.  
"Whew! That was a close one," said Thomas.  
" _Too_ close for my liking," remarked the Driver, as he inspected the train. "Say," he said after a few minutes, "don't these trucks look familiar?"  
Thomas gave the trucks another look over. "They do," he replied thoughtfully. "They look like the ones we arranged back at... Vicarstown." He then added with realization, "And the ones that-"  
Suddenly, a loud whistle was heard in the distance. And coming straight towards them, puffing and panting, was Edward and the rest of his train.  
"Edward!" exclaimed Thomas, as the old engine pulled up beside him. "Are you alright? What happened?"  
"It was after I came to a hard stop at the top," Edward replied wearily. "They broke away when my wheels suddenly started to slip."  
"The extra workload is starting to get you, isn't it?" Thomas observed in a worried tone.  
Edward sighed. "Yes. I'm afraid it is," he sadly admitted. "If I'm going to get this train up and over, I'm going to need a back engine."  
"I'm afraid there's none at the moment," said the signalman, leaning out of the signalbox. "That's usually your job, Edward."  
As Edward, his crew, and the signalman tried to make arrangements, Thomas was looking rather pensive; his Driver knew that look.  
"Are you sure you want to do it, old boy?" he quietly asked.  
Thomas quietly let off steam in agreement. "I can help," he finally said to the group, who immediately stopped talking.  
"You?" Edward replied in surprise. "But... but you have a big train, as well. If you help me, you'll either get stuck or make yourself late, too."  
"Edward, you need assistance, and I'm the only one you can do it now," Thomas pointed out, and then added rather imploringly, "Please... let me help."  
Skeptically, Edward looked back at his train... then to the trucks in the siding... Thomas' train... and finally to the little tank engine's pleading face; he could see the eagerness in his eyes. Over the past few days, Edward had been wanting to show he could do whatever Dowager Hatt had asked of him, but the strain was starting to take its toll, and he knew that he couldn't keep this appearance up any longer. The old engine looked at his buffers for a moment before closing his eyes, apparently deep in thought.  
Before long, he finally said, "Very well. But be careful, Thomas."  
"I will, Edward," Thomas replied with determination. "I will."

Once both trains had been situated, with Thomas and his train coupled behind Edward's, after he had collected his runaway trucks, both engines backed up to get a running start.  
"Alright, Thomas," Edward called out. "Are you ready?"  
"As ready as I'll ever be," came a reply.  
"Then here we go!"  
With a mighty whoosh of steam, the long cavalcade was heaved and shoved into motion.  
"Full steam ahead!" Thomas cried out, as they began to ascend.  
Smoke and steam billowed from the two engines as they charged the imposing hill, snorting furiously to get their loads up and over. But when they got near the top, Edward started to feel a decrease in his climb and the weight of his trucks holding him back; Thomas could also feel it on his buffers, struggling to keep them and his own moving.  
"Oh no!" Edward panted worryingly. "We're losing speed!"  
"Just... keep... going!" Thomas strained in determination. His face went as bright as James' paintwork, as he puffed with every ounce of steam he had. "I think... we're almost..." Suddenly, the weight on his buffers slackened. And as Thomas felt himself being pulled up and over, he cried out in realization, "There? We're there!"  
"You did it, Thomas!" Edward laughed, as he steamed down the other side. "You did it!"  
"No, Edward," Thomas replied, smiling. "We did it."  
It was evening by the time they arrived at the Shunting Yards, and had shunted their trains into their proper sidings. Tired and weary as they were, the two engines managed to exchange a smile as they were uncoupled from their trains; no words were needed to say how much one appreciated the other.  
But as they made their way to Tidmouth Sheds, nothing would prepare them for what they were about to see.

Thomas and Edward just stared in bewilderment. As soon as they had entered the Yards, the two engines were bombarded with a terrible racket; sitting defiantly in their berths were Gordon, James, and Henry, loudly letting off steam. In addition to this, Thomas and Edward could barely make out their chanting, which was also punctuated by their whistles; this is what they heard:  
"No! No! We won't go! No! No! We won't go!"  
Standing opposite the sheds and a little ways off, the two engines noticed Percy and Emily, looking very put off. They pulled up beside them.  
"What is going on here, Percy?" Thomas asked.  
"Those three decided to go on strike... again," Percy replied annoyingly.  
"They've been at this all day," added Emily, "believing that they're being treated unfairly."  
Thomas rolled his eyes. "Well, _that_ would explain the extra work Edward and I had to do today," Thomas said with an annoyed sigh.  
"You think they would've learned something from the last time they pulled this stunt," remarked Edward.  
"The last time?" puzzled Emily.  
"We'll explain it later," replied Edward. "Look who's here."  
Even though the three big engines were still creating a lot of noise, the unmistakable "Honk! Honk!" of a car pulling into the Yards could be heard. Once it screeched to a stop, the familiar form of Dowager Hatt stepped out and marched towards the sheds, looking furious.  
"Alright, you three!" she shouted sternly, in a voice some of the engines had never heard her speak in; even this stopped Gordon, Henry, and James' ruckus. "You're 'protesting' has done nothing but cause a disturbance; I've been receiving complaints all day because of you, and I intend to put a stop to it!"  
"I suppose this means you'll finally hear us out?" Gordon asked smugly.  
"On the contrary," replied Dowager Hatt, " _you're_ going to hear _me_ out! Because of you're actions today, we were almost _way_ behind in preparing for the Railway Spring Parade!" She got closer to Gordon, who looked quite offended during the following: "That goods train you were suppose to take from Samson earlier, Gordon, were the decorations for some the engines and floats that will be participating in the Parade!" When she turned to James, the red engine's eyes darted around, trying hard to avoid her gaze. "All those _dirty_ trucks from those _dirty_ sidings, James," she said pointedly, "were supposed to be removed to help create room for people to see the Parade!" And then she faced Henry, who only looked at his buffers in shame. "And I placed you in the Shunting Yards to not only help create room, Henry," she reprimanded, "but to also move the heavy trains that Gordon and James were bringing in!  
"I had plans for you three," she continued, "but since you thought it was beneath you to do the jobs I had assigned to you, I believe the role of Parade Leader should go to Thomas _and_ Edward."  
Everyone's mouths hung open in surprise, but none were more wider than Gordon, James, and Henry.  
"WHAT?!" exclaimed James.  
"Them?!" remarked Henry.  
"B-b-b-but- that's not fair!" spluttered Gordon.  
"Oh, I find it perfectly fair," Dowager Hatt replied, as she folded her arms. "Since it was _them_ that had to do _your_ work _on top_ of their own! _And_ they did it without fuss!"" she added, as she walked towards the two blue engines, who had now come closer to the sheds with Percy and Emily. "Thomas and Edward," she began, her tone now softened with a smile, "for your hard work and diligence, I award the position of Parade Leader to you. Starting tomorrow, both of you will go to the Steamworks for a fresh coat of paint and your decorations for the following day's Parade."  
"Why... thank you, ma'am!" Thomas replied astounded.  
"It will be an honor," added Edward.  
A couple of days later, the day of the Railway Spring Parade had finally come, and Knapford Station was crowded; people and engines from all over the island had come to celebrate. Even Sir Topham Hatt, who had just gotten better, was there too. He stood on Platform One with his mother, looking impressively at the decorations and the masses.  
"Even though I had my doubts," he remarked, "you did a smashing job, mother. How did you do it?"  
"Well," came a cheeky reply, "let's just say you weren't the only one your father taught how to run railways, Bertram." Then Dowager Hatt winked at her son.  
Thomas, who happened to be nearby and had overheard what had been said, looked over to Edward.  
"Edward," he said, "I owe you an apology."  
Edward was surprised. "Apology? For what?"  
"For doubting you about trusting Dowager Hatt," continued Thomas. "You were right; she _did_ know what she was doing. Did something like this happen before I came to Sodor?"  
Before Edward could explain, a fanfare of trumpets were heard over the station's intercoms. "In a way, yes," he replied briefly. "But I'll have to tell you about it another time; it looks like the Parade's about to begin."  
As the fanfare was coming to an end, Sir Topham Hatt and Dowager Hatt made their way to front of the platform; as Dowager Hatt took her seat next to the guests, Sir Topham Hatt clambered up onto the podium sitting in front of the station. Opposite to it, was a stand where a big red ribbon was stretched across between it and the podium, and over the two main lines that entered the station. After a brief tap on the microphone to test it, he then addressed the audience who had quieted down.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Engines and Coaches," he began, "I not only welcome you to our first Railway Spring Parade, but I would like give special recognition to the following who helped make this event possible. Firstly, to Dowager Hatt, I thank you for helping take the reins while I was, erm... indisposed. Thank you, mother."  
At this, Dowager Hatt stood up at waved at the cheering crowd. "Oh, thank you! Thank you!" she chortled. "You're too kind!"  
Once she was seated again, Sir Topham Hatt motioned for the crowd to quiet down again.  
"And lastly," he began again, "I would like to make a special thanks to the engines who really made an effort to make sure this Parade would run on time, despite certain... adversities, along the way. And those Really Useful Engines are..." He paused dramatically, before waving his hand towards- "Thomas the Tank Engine and Edward the Blue Engine, who will be leading the Parade today. Let us give them Three Cheers!"  
The two engines just smiled, as everyone gave them "three cheers"; the other engines whistled theirs.  
"And now," said Sir Topham Hatt, as the cheering stopped, "without further ado, let the Parade Leaders steam through the red ribbon to start the festivities!"  
With a short "Peep! Peep!" of their whistles, Thomas and Edward steamed towards the red ribbon. And once they passed through it, the Sodor Brass Band, who were in Edward's open coaches, immediately began to strike up the "Sodor March", at which the crowds began to cheer wildly.  
"Enjoy the Parade everyone," Sir Topham Hatt called out into the microphone, "and have a wonderful First Day of Spring!" And when he had finished, he then joined the cheering by waving his top hat around.  
But during all this, just as Thomas was about to take the lead, he stopped himself; even though he had a part in saving the Parade, something didn't feel right. Edward noticed the tank engine's expression, and began to feel a little worried.  
"Are you alright, Thomas?" he whispered. "Is something wrong?"  
"You do it."  
"What?"  
"You lead, Edward," Thomas replied in a lowered voice. "Without you showing any faith and example, none of this would have happened. Therefore, you deserve to lead this Parade more than I."  
Surprised, tears began to well up in the old engine's eyes. "Why... why thank you, Thomas," he replied in a stifled, trembling sort of voice. "That is not only most humble, but very grown-up of you as well."  
"You're welcome, Edward," Thomas smiled.  
Then, with an extra puff in his stride, Edward slowly took up the lead with the Brass Band in tow. Thomas then followed suit with his faithful coaches, Annie and Clarabel, who were not only brightly decorated but full of children who excitedly waved their small Sudrian flags; Sir Topham Hatt, Dowager Hatt, Lady Hatt, and the guests were also on board, too. And once they had cleared the station platform, all the other engines and their floats began to follow them; big and small, each engine and float were magnificently decked out with colorful banners, streamers, flags, and every other kind of decoration you could think of. And as they steamed slowly down the line, only picking up a little speed inbetween stations, more people and engines could be seen along the Main Line, cheering them on.  
By the time they reached Vicarstown Station in the late afternoon, the large crowds they had seen earlier and along the way, had all gathered there to partake in the festivities. And as Thomas and Edward slowly pulled to a stop at the main platform, they were greeted by many dignitaries who congratulated them on a wonderful performance, and equally many photographers who started to take their picture from any and every angle that they could.

The next morning, when Sir Topham Hatt arrived in his office at Knapford Station, he happened to glance at the morning newspaper lying on his desk. In big, bold letters, the headline read "RAILWAY SPRING PARADE SUCCESS! DECORATIONS GALORE!". Sir Topham Hatt smiled, and not just at the headline and article, but the picture that accompanied it; amid all the action that was going on, Thomas and Edward's smiles could be seen just as clearly as themselves.  
"Yes indeed," he said to no one in particular. "They are Really Useful Engines."


End file.
